SC to hear Varun's NSA plea today

The Supreme Court will hear today a petition filed by BJP candidate from Pilibhit Varun Gandhi challenging the slapping of National Security Act by the Uttar Pradesh government against him for his alleged hate speeches.

The Supreme Court will hear today a petition filed by BJP candidate from Pilibhit Varun Gandhi challenging the slapping of National Security Act (NSA) by the Uttar Pradesh government against him for his alleged hate speeches.

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The matter will be heard by a bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan, which on April 2 had issued notices to the state government and the District Magistrate of Pilibhit on the allegation by Varun that NSA was invoked against him with a political motive to sabotage his electoral debut.

However, the Uttar Pradesh government has refuted the allegations of the 29-year-old BJP leader, saying NSA was invoked against him for his communal speeches and the chaos created by him while surrendering before a court in Pilibhit in in connection with the cases registered against him.

In its 35-page response to the notice issued by the apex court, the state government said the inflammatory statement by Varun and the manner in which he surrendered on March 28 amounted to breach of public order, warranting invocation of the NSA against him.

Varun has challenged his detention under NSA for his alleged hate speeches in Pilibhit last month. He was taken to the Pilibhit district jail and later shifted to Etah jail for security reasons.